What Željana spoke about.

14

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Question Time (Commission) - Strengthened EU enlargement policy to the Western Balkans

Thank you very much. Dear Commissioner, thank you once again for your really good and compassionate behaviour when we were negotiating IPA III. In my last legislature, I was really worried why all this money that was used for migration waves was taken away from Bosnia and Herzegovina, because Bosnia and Herzegovina, at that time, I got the answer, didn’t have the absorption capacity to use the mon…

1

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Situation in Afghanistan (debate)

Madam President, Madam Commissioner, we should not close our eyes after our retreat from Afghanistan and forget about the peacebuilding efforts of the last decades. We should not let apartheid against women flourish. With the takeover by the Taliban, the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has severely deteriorated, and I deeply deplore the recent ban by the Taliban of all the activities of fema…

17

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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Implementation of the common foreign and security policy - annual report 2022 - Implementation of the common security and defence policy - annual report 2022 (debate)

Madam President, High Commissioner, I would like to congratulate the rapporteurs for the CFSP and CSDP reports, Mr McAllister and Mr Vandenkendelaere, for their excellent work. They managed to cover a very challenging year from a foreign and security perspective. Our security has been directly challenged. A new war has emerged in our neighbourhood. China continues to play an assertive role in the …

16

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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Order of business

Madam President, the EPP has decided to withdraw from a debate on the urgencies and negotiations. But after a meeting of the Conference of Presidents, an agreement was reached on all the urgencies: the procedure will go through your office to check that the rule of 500 words is being respected. We understand that we reached the agreement on this issue, but unfortunately we have not tabled our prop…

14

Dec

2022

EN Speech

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Chinese government crackdown on the peaceful protests across the People's Republic of China

Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, in the light of the ongoing criminal investigations into a corrupt network of some individual Members, former MEPs and assistants in the European Parliament, the EPP Group is extremely concerned about the integrity of the foreign policy positions of the European Parliament, as expressed in the urgency resolutions and procedures as foreseen in Rule 14…

14

Dec

2022

EN Speech

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The Commission’s reports on the situation of journalists and the implications of the rule of law (debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, I fully subscribe to the conclusion of the Commission’s 2022 report on the rule of law that states that independent and free media are the watchdogs of democracy and are key for the rule of law. Free media is helping to inform and empower citizens and allow them to contribute to the democratic debate. Therefore, I underline the importance that both local and nat…

14

Dec

2022

EN Speech

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Defending democracy from foreign interference (debate)

Mr President, dear Commissioner, I had a speech prepared but I was shocked with the speeches here. I think it was Churchill who said that if you don’t want to solve a problem, you create a commission – and we have a huge problem here and a new commission will not resolve this problem, which is the problem of democracy and the truth. The Foreign Affairs Committee has all these sub—committees that a…

14

Dec

2022

EN Speech

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Preparation of the European Council meeting of 15 December 2022 (debate)

–Mr President, tomorrow’s Council meeting promises to be a historic one. Today is a historic date: 27 years ago the Dayton Paris Peace Accord was signed in Paris. If the leaders of the Member States follow the recommendation of the Commission and their own ministers on European affairs, Bosnia and Herzegovina will be granted a candidate status. That means Bosnia and Herzegovina is sailing towards …

13

Dec

2022

EN Speech

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Prospects for the two-State solution for Israel and Palestine (debate)

Mr President, Madam Commissioner, I wholeheartedly support the idea of a negotiated two-State solution. It would bring an end to a long-lasting conflict in the Middle East and allow the states of Israel and Palestine to live side by side with guarantees for the region’s peace and security. Unfortunately, we have witnessed the continuation of the political stalemate and an increase of escalation wi…

23

Nov

2022

EN Speech

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The Human rights situation in Afghanistan especially the deterioration of women´s rights and attacks against educational institutions

Mr President, Commissioner, I deeply deplore the recent attacks against the educational institutions in Afghanistan and call on the authorities to hold those responsible accountable. The deteriorating situation for women and girls in Afghanistan continues to be of grave concern. Since the Taliban took power, they have undone women’s position in society, removed them from public life, closed second…

22

Nov

2022

HR Speech

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New EU strategy for enlargement (debate)

Dear Chairman, Dear Commissioner Várhelyi, (Please I will speak Croatian.) in one minute it is difficult to say what this strategy should mean for the Western Balkans, but here, the focus is as always on what has not been done and what needs to be done. My message for Bosnia and Herzegovina is congratulations, I see that coalitions are being formed. I want the future coalition to finally amend the…

9

Nov

2022

HR Speech

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Full application of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in Croatia (debate)

Dear President, Honourable Vice-President of the Commission, Honourable Commissioner Schinas, Honourable Ambassador Andrassy, first of all I would like to congratulate here and my colleagues and all those who are here with us to celebrate Croatia's entry into the Schengen zone. The most responsible for tonight's celebration is here and our rapporteur Mr. Rangel, I congratulate you for all the comm…

19

Oct

2022

EN Speech

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EU-Western Balkans relations in light of the new enlargement package (continuation of debate)

Madam President, I would like to congratulate the Commissioner on the enlargement package. The biggest news of this year’s enlargement package is the welcoming recommendation to grant Bosnia and Herzegovina candidate status. I appreciate the call in the report that it is an utmost priority to conclude the electoral reform according to the Constitutional and International Court’s decision, and to a…

19

Oct

2022

EN Speech

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Preparation of the European Council meeting of 20-21 October 2022 (debate)

Madam President, Vice-President Šefčovič, Minister Bek, ahead of the Council summit. I would like to praise the mediation efforts of President Michel between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is a good example where the European Council plays a role in providing a platform for warring parties and supports the dialogue towards sustainable peace. Unfortunately, similar European efforts of preventive diplom…

4

Oct

2022

EN Speech

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The death of Mahsa Amini and the repression of women's rights protesters in Iran (debate)

Mr President, High Representative, I deeply regret the death of Mahsa Amini. She was arrested for improperly wearing the hijab, a symbol of faith. She had to experience an inexplicable amount of violence by the Iranian morality police, which led to her death. And it’s as if the faith can come from the force. God is not in beating, but in loving. I strongly condemn the excessive actions by the Iran…

14

Sep

2022

EN Speech

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Nicaragua, in particular the arrest of the bishop Rolando Álvarez

Madam President, Madam Commissioner, on 19 August this year, the Bishop of Matagalpa, Ronaldo Álvarez, together with other clerics, was arbitrarily arrested and placed under house arrest by the Nicaraguan regime. I condemn in the strongest possible terms the politically biased arrests and the persecution of the Catholic Church and others in Nicaragua and call for the immediate release of those arb…

13

Sep

2022

HR Speech

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The new European Bauhaus (debate)

Dear President, Honourable Commissioner. Tomorrow we are voting on the New European Bauhaus report we have been working on for the last year, which for many was not a clear concept when it was proposed at the start of this Commission's work. Since then, this concept has gained visibility through the joint work of all those who want Europe in the future to be primarily a comfortable place to live f…

13

Sep

2022

EN Speech

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Renewed partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood – a new agenda for the Mediterranean (debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, as this report states, the security, prosperity and stability of our European Union are dependent on the security, prosperity and stability of our neighbourhood. With our dedicated strategy, we can build on the existing partnership and work on a common political agenda and reforms benefiting us all. Coming from a country at the European external border, I can’t …

6

Jul

2022

EN Speech

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The Three Seas Initiative: challenges and opportunities (topical debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, the Three Seas Initiative has been established at the joint initiative of Croatia by our former President, Madam Grabar—Kitarović, and Poland during the inaugural summit in Dubrovnik in 2016. It’s encouraging to see the continued common commitment of the 12 Member States and their partner countries to boost cooperation in matters of energy, digitalisation and tran…

6

Jul

2022

EN Speech

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The UK government’s unilateral introduction of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill and respect for international law (debate)

Mr President, today is a very interesting day. We voted the report on Bosnia and Herzegovina, where an overwhelming majority rejected the Strategic Compass – the document that was intended to prevent and to start having a real policy on the security and safety of European Union. We are discussing the Northern Ireland Protocol Agreement and the Good Friday Agreement. The UK Government is trying to …

5

Jul

2022

EN Speech

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2021 Report on Serbia (debate)

Madam President, the countries in the Western Balkans need a sincere and credible European perspective. From their side, the enlargement countries should show their willingness to adhere to European values, standards and principles. Serbia has made considerable progress on its reform agenda, but still has not delivered on a few critical aspects. While facing the security threats in the east of Eur…

5

Jul

2022

HR Speech

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2021 Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina (debate)

Dear Chairman, Honourable Commissioner, we once understood each other. We lived in a country where the law of the majority brought about the great disintegration of that same country. It wasn't that long ago, it wasn't me, it wasn't you. We still remember that moment. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country that was created by the Dayton-Paris Peace Agreement, an agreement that marked the peace of a b…

22

Jun

2022

EN Speech

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2021 Report on Montenegro (debate)

Madam President, I will follow on from your remarks on Montenegro. A few weeks ago I was with the Committee on Foreign Affairs, first in Albania, then to Montenegro. The lack of administrative capacity makes me really sad, as the co-rapporteur for IPA III funds, that we do not have these absorption capacities and prepared projects. I welcome Montenegro’s new government and the inclusiveness that t…

22

Jun

2022

EN Speech

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Inclusion measures within Erasmus+ 2014-2020 (debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, this year we celebrate the 35th anniversary of Erasmus+. More than 12 million European citizens have participated in this exchange programme. The programme has evolved over time and has offered life—changing experiences, from students to young professionals, from higher education to vocational training. Despite its great success, the programme still can be impro…

7

Jun

2022

EN Speech

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The EU’s Foreign, Security and Defence Policy after the Russian invasion of Ukraine (debate)

Madam President, I would like to commend the follow—up report of Mr McAllister and Madam Nathalie Loiseau on the common foreign, security and defence policy after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. There’s nothing much to say. We have the strategic compass that really clarifies our position, the European Union position, on how we should form our future security and defence policy, we have the Althea…